Everyday is Halloween

Hello scrap happy people.

Today is the day before Valentines Day.
I never pay attention to this holiday because it's stressful. Wanna eat somewhere nice? Did ya book reservations? Wanna buy flower? Pay a premium.
Buy this. Buy that. Nothing which I would buy anyway.
I am not a chocolate lover.

My family just buys tacos from the local street vendor and watches a movie at home. The kid is always invited. She gets the heart shaped box because she is queen of our world.

One holiday I love and have started to spend big on is HALLOWEEN.

The movies. The colors!
The monsters.
The LIGHTS! The decor!
I love it all.

Some pages:

So this is American Crafts BOOtiful from 2016. That's how long I've held onto this paper. Sorry for the distracting hot spots I'm still very low tech with my cell phone and my window light.

For 2019 I wanted to do Witch's Night Out with the kid and my nice.
I never found an outfit that fit what I imagined in my head. I found a BALLGOWN on
Poshmark for 15 bucks. It is GORGEOUS!! Layers and glitter galore! Naturally Lola hates it and
she hated me for making her wear it in public. She's 10 now. No more dress up.
Let's take a moment to grieve.

This is Crate Paper's Hey Pumpkin. I just got 1 sheet of chipboard stickers and some of the papers.
The design for this collection was so simple and modern I had to have it even if it was no longer the it thing to use.

So dang CUTE! Orange, Yellow, Green  Teal, Purple, Silver and Black- Halloween is totally my kind of color palette.

In New York we would dress the kiddo up and buy her some candy. She was teeny and didn't want to be outside in the cold.

2012- Keep warm is the first rule.
She still cried when we took her out.

Utah is a whole different thing holiday-wise. The more suburban family oriented landscape means we have plenty of costume required events to attend so October is actually our busiest time of year as I try to fit everything I want to photograph every week.

Some photos:

2015 was supposed to be a sure fire winner- Sea Monster, Holographic, warm. NOPE.
She hated that the head kept flopping forward. Can you believe she wore this costume AGAIN this year?
I'd bought it 2 sizes too large. It didn't flop this time. Whew.

2017- wait- I DID get her a girly short sleeved costume. Little Red Riding Hood.
Made her wear her coat for the actual Trick or Treating and she got SO MAD.

2019- BuckBeak the Hippogriff. EXCELLENT CHOICE. 
Spent 3 weeks freaking out how we would recreate a HORSE with an Eagle face.
Found a Crow mask, painted it grey and gold. Found a wolf costume and
had her wear that with claws I made out of  craft foam. Kid next to her is best friend Harry-
the kid is kinda weird but he treats he well.

Dave made the wings out of card board ans paper plates. The wings actually FLAP- he used washers
on the joints so she could open the wings wide. This of course was not appreciated in school.
Her 6 foot wingspan played murder in the classroom.

 Then you have WitchFest which started as this small marketing event to get more shoppers to visit  Gardner Village in West Jordan. I cannot stress enough how amazing this event is. GO. More than once if you can. Especially on Witch Parade nights Friday and Saturday.
4pm in the afternoon has some of the most spectacular light I have ever seen anywhere.

The costume that started the WitchFest madness.
This 6 dollar thrift store costume fit so spectacularly I feel like I have to one up myself every year.
She really liked this because it was light, the hat was not too big
and she just tucked the dress into her jeans when it was done- the fabric is that thin..

2019 Kid and Niece. I buy the witch hats anywhere I find them. I prefer lots of layers, glitter, color and lace.
I come fully prepared with costume changes and money for snacks.
 The girls frown but I just keep taking photos until one of them does something smiley. 
If visiting in October Garner Village WitchFest is a MUST.

Kuwahara Pumkpin Patch is my absolute favorite.
Did YOU know there were smoke machines that ALSO made bubbles?
You you get smoke filled bubbles??? SO FREAKING AWESOME!!!!
Just don't let them pop in your eye- that is NOT a good thing.

This is Salt Lake City in late September. You should visit. You won't regret it.

It'd almost spring mi gente. Celebrate.

It's OCTOBER!!!!!! Time for a totally non traditional, totaly awesome True Xoxo Girls Challenge!

Hello scrap happy people!
It's October 1st.
I hope you have your kid's costumes ready.
Stores are only stocking the minimum holiday items this year due to the economy so it's either buy full price OR make it yourself.
Guess which one I chose?
YUP!
I'm buying one.
I can see myself happily making a costume.
I also see myself sitting in a Caribbean beach sipping an obscenely large frozen Margarita and reading a book.
Both are pure fantasy.
So off to the store I go.
Lola wants to be a T-Rex or a "ceratops".
I need to find a costume that says "I'm a T-REX!!!" but not "I'm a BOY!"

This month the True Xoxo chicks have quite a challenge set out for you.
Scrap your Halloween photos.
DO NOT use the traditional colors of orange and black.
I would add that you should try to restrain yourself from using up all your spider/monster/pumpkin/haunted house stash on the page as well.

I was SO EXCITED- S.O.  E.X.C.I.T.E.D- to be using my stash I forgot all about the actual challenge of it all so I made two pages.
Here's the first:

One of my ALL TIME favorite collections EVER- American Crafts Nightfall- orange, black and sky BLUE! LOVE it! Plus the alphas and black chalkboard stickers are so amazing! I some Martha Stewart paper stashed since 2009, Uni-ball white gel pen, orange vellum  and some Studio Calico veneer banners; I was good to go.

Also- A Flair For Buttons Vintage Halloween buttons- awesome!

Here's the one you'll see posted.
SO different from what I usually make but really I was just glad to stop over thinking and just use paper in this thing- sometimes breaking out the paint just makes me all jittery.

I finally uses the My Mind's Eye paper I bought a while ago- who can resist that Polaroid frame print? Alpha tiles, mini brads apple sticker from from American Crafts. Prima leaves and Diamond Stickles (my favorite kind).

My Mind's Eye gorgeous chipboard. LOVE diagonal stripes mixed up!

Amy Tangerine roller date stamp has the cutest saying.
Perfect for the tiny banners in this print.
I used grey chalk ink pad from Paper Source.

True Xoxo wants to see how you handle the challenge.
Swing by, leave some comment love and link up your project.
I can't wait to see what you made!

Michelle

A day for honoring the dead

True Xoxo Girls November Challenge Page- swing by and participate!
MATERIALS: Ikea plastic cake doily (I know!), Core'Dinations Jenny Bowlin paper, Cosmo Cricket blackboard and naked chipboard, Prima flowers and leaves (painted black with acrylic paint), EK Success slim line border punch, Petallo velvet roses and Dahlia value packs (black and red), Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam in Oil Slick, Smooch Spritz in black and Silver

The Mexican holiday known as Dia De Los Muertos has always fascinated me. The tradition is a hybrid of long established rituals in Pre-Columbian Mexico and the Catholic religion brought in by Spanish invaders- oops- I mean- "Conquistadors". The celebration actually lasts 3 days and takes place during what is also known as "All Saints Day" and "All Souls Day"- a change brought by the Spanish when they found they could not destroy the practice outright.

Calaberas are the focus for Dod.
TIP- that's found fishing line in that circle-
guess where I'm off to scrap shop next?

I burned right through my black Prima and
Petaloo stash... LOVE the black velvet!!!

The colors, the pageantry, the flowers- Day of the Dead is wonderful!!!  Best of all- it's a time to remember those you loved and lost- to tell their stories and carry on their name.

I envy the cultural strength it takes to carry this tradition 500 hundred years into the present. I admire the joy it brings to what could be a sorrowful occasion. Perhaps you remember your Mother or your Abuelita today. Maybe you make an altar for Celia Cruz or Frieda Kahlo- Madame Curie or Helen Keller.

Untitled Day of the Dead page 2
MATERIALS: Gauche Alchemy Wedding Night White Mixed Media Kit, Bazzill Kraft paper, Mister Huey in Plum Thumb, Overdue and Hot Dog, Crate Random mini paper, Daisy D's rub on stitches (which have dried out and can't heat them up since they are on a roller- darn!)

These are my first Dia De Los Muertos projects and not remotely authentic as they don't commemorate anyone. I wanted to keep these light and showy since they are meant to grab your attention and hopefully draw you into this AWESOME Latin American tradition.

Gauche Alchemy Scarlet Fever Red Mixed Media Color Kit, some dollar store roses.

Traditional activities include

• visiting family graves and decorating them with beautiful floral and paper displays 
• making mini "altars" for your home and decorating them with colorful fruits and flowers 
• gathering with friends and family and serving heaps of food 
• making papier-mache, papel picado (cut tissue paper) or sugar sculptures

Photos came from a street art poster.
The Skull and crossbones cameo was found on Etsy.

Whatever you do, tell the tales of those who have passed on- do not weep- rather, weep and laugh and shout out with joy- your loved ones are now in a better place!

Results of a sugar skull workshop. Getting
those sequins to stick using only spit was
harder than it looked.

Today I commemorate
Leo the caretaker and bike rider.
Nakia who left us so young.
Neco and Maneca my great grand parents.
And Juan and Mita my grand parents.
Whom do you celebrate?
Whose memory do you sing praises to?

Hugs mi gente- pass it on.

Michelle

An appropriate nightmare on Halloween

Happy Halloween everybody. We got some snow here in Brooklyn but it's all gone now so I think the witches, spooks and goblins will come out and play tonight. We are going to a party at The American Museum of Natural History.
But that's not what I want to share. I had a crazy SCARY dream last night!!!!

Ok several things:
1: I LOVE this easel from 7 Gypsies!  2: I found a pack Bazzill black card stock at TJ Maxx for 6 dollars along with AC Mix Tape for 3 bucks- shelf raiding time! 3: That FABULOUS brain stamp is from Dragonfly Laser on Ebay- they have FANTASTIC rubber stamps- all handmade in New Jersey. It's crystal clear- I used a mist to ink it.

It started normally. I was hanging around with Lola in a busy wide street- perhaps 42nd and Broadway. We stopped at a cafe table (they are everywhere now- part of a "traffic calming" program the mayor dreamed up).
Suddenly this chic comes out of nowhere saying she's a long lost relative and asking to hold Lola. I say no but she takes Lola off my arms anyway.
I am watching her walk away with my baby. I see them cross the street. I am thinking- WHY am I letting this happen? DO SOMETHING!!
And the the sun goes out.
Everything goes black for a few seconds.
People scream. Cars crash.
The sun FLICKERS back on.
I start to run after the woman who has now turned around and is looking at me from across the street. Lola is holding her arms out for me. No one moves.
I distinctly hear someone say: "What's going on? What's happening?"
I start to go through all the scientific causes in my head- eclipse, stroke, falling space stations- wouldn't an eclipse be on the news for weeks??? my brain babbled.
Wouldn't it get incredibly cold?
The sun flickers back off.
Pandemonium breaks out. People stampede past me and I am taken away from Lola and the sun FLICKERS back but much weaker- redder, dimmer.

Adorn-it thought bubbles, Basic Grey Obscure line rub-ons I had to activate using double sided tape.
Tip- don't bother with the heat gun- it just curls up the plastic they come in.

That's when I woke up. I "heard" myself yelling WAKE UP! WAKE  UP! I literally could not stand it another minute.
First I checked to see if Miss Thing was ok- she was. Then I looked out the window- it was dark- 3am dark in a snowy too cold to hang out night. And it was quiet.
Ooooo creepy not really awake brain filled in all KINDS of terrors I had to actively choose to ignore... didn't sleep for the rest of the night.

Halftone app

GRATUITOUS BABY SHOTS!!!!!!

This year's outfit- Candy Corn Witch. She refuses to wear the hat.

She also refuses to pose while looking at the camera.

Happy Halloween!
Michelle and Family

Fade to black- shooting an all black layout.

The November True Xoxo Girls challenge is.... (dramatic music) BLACK.
You've been duly warned.
Tune in November first to see the varied and FANTASTIC projects created by the DT.
Meanwhile here's a tutorial on photographing monochrome layouts.

I had a LOT of fun avoiding this challenge. I bitched and moaned to fellow DT members.
I sat down several dozen times and played with my iPod instead.
I read a book- a 400 page book- "Peter and The Star Catchers"- It's awesome- pick it up when you have a moment.
I watched several movies, taught Lola to sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider in Spanish and produced 3 other pages.
Then I made this- finally.

"Good Magic" or  "Happy"- take your pick.
MATERIALS: Canvas Corp chalkboard paper and burlap, Basic Grey and Crate Paper buttons,
Ki Memories title, Webster's Pages die cuts, large paper clip, "good" card and slide mount from
cyber-friend Amy Baldwin (Thanks Amy!!), felt floral by Anna Griffin, Amy Tan chevron fabric paper  

This isn't the page you'll see on the True Xoxo blog. The challenge won't be up till November 1st. I have a very special post scheduled for that day. I'll be celebrating the fabulous Mexican holiday Day of the Dead with not one but 2 projects. Try to swing by- if you aren't completely pooped from FINALLY getting your kids to sleep after their dinner of chocolate covered sugar bombs that is.

Mini Tute time!
Shooting black isn't as hard as you think as long as you keep the following rules in mind:

1. Rake light across the project. That just means add a side light of some sort.
I did this by placing the page directly in front of a window. It was raining so the light was already indirect. On a sunny day, make sure to place your project in a way that avoids direct light. I then added a side light by taping some aluminum foil of a piece or cardboard and bouncing light from the window onto the project- you can sort of see that here- my hand is holding the board.

OOO! DoD page Sneak Peek!!!

2. Make sure to include both "light" blacks and "dark" blacks in your project. 
The Canvas Corp paper I used for this project is great because the paint it uses literally eats light- black buttons added on top still showed. The Ki Memories "happy" title" is also light chomping but the stcky backing acts as a highlight.

This is a more traditional photo of "raked" light. The sun is hitting the page directly. That's great for this detail shot but the shadows obscured many of the details in the overall project photo so I didn't use that shot. Face palm on that out of focus journaling.

3. Add contrast with textures, patterns and if you must- colors.  I added some contrast to this page by using some green and beige elements- I love the final look but and that's mainly why it didn't become my final Xoxo Page- I wanted to explore using only black elements.
Here's what an "all black" page can contain:

True Xoxo Day of the Dead page sneek peek!

I still "cheated" by using some grey chipboard but I just couldn't bring myself to paint those fabulous Cosmo Cricket hearts. The flowers all started out annoyingly pink but got painted black with Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam.
Did this make sense?
Albie says:

GRATUITOUS BABY SHOT!

Now reaching the Brooklyn stop of the Hogwart's Express. All ABOARD!

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Ta DAAA! A Halloween page

So I finally managed to make a Halloween page that doesn't stink. I've said this a zillion times but I don't like holiday theme projects. The items needed are so specific they can't be used for anything else and I tend to get so distracted during family events my photos never look good. But really it's my lack of skill that bothers me- so I promised I would practice, practice,  practice till I got something I liked.
Here's one:

First Halloween (redo)
MATERIALS: Martha Stewart Halloween paper, Crate Paper and Basic Grey buttons, American Crafts Thickers, Sassafras stickers, Stuff 2 Scrap mini word and frame chipboard, ghost sticker and spider/bat brads from EK Success
PS- this is an example of early morning light- it's super orange- may have to reshoot this but I like the golden glow.

Last Halloween we had about 30 minutes of really pretty light when we went to Central Park and I got lots of great images- it was freezing but Lola was so glad to be outside she cried when we left.
This year we will try to get some shots in the park again but her witch costume isn't remotely insulated so unless I get her a witch themed coat it will have to be taken inside. Fingers crossed.

Stuff 2 Scrap chipboard- they just don't make them this cool here in the US! 

The title from my last project was so cool I cut it out and reused it. LOVE those spider brads!
So glad they are getting used- finally.

Paper Issues has a great Halloween themed link party happening right now- swing by and add your project to the mix. There's also brand new Pink Paislee Christmas themed paper in the store- with seriosuly beautiful colors- check it out: Pink Paislee Snow Day Collection

New hat!! I love bunny ear hats!

MuChoS SmOoChEs!

Michelle

31 days of Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween- What? You can't see the title ? It's on the lower left hand corner. 

At this time, last year, the wonderful link party website Paper Issues was born!


To celebrate, you get an extra 20% off in the Paper Shop!  Use code HAPPY20

It just happens that yours truly started blogging on October 31st last year as well. Angry that my husband had decided to work on a saturday and that the weather was so cold Lola was not able to join the Halloween Parade in Central Park, I declared Halloween over-rated.
Well not this year baby!
This year it's gonna be different!
This year Lola has her Candy Witch costume ready to go and we have tickets to the Museum of Natural History's Halloween party- it will be INSIDE so she'll have some fun.
Fingers crossed. No, triple crossed.

First edition- I  just added a great photo- the layout is.... beyond repair.

This page was made before Lola had a costume last year so I had some crazy black and white photo of weeds on there. I remember being so proud of this "creation". I redid the page for your amusement- yes I am aware it looks like the Micheal's holiday aisle threw up all over the page. Lola likes it- she keeps pointing at the googly eyes.

You're able to see Lola's SLAMMIN' orange and yellow tights here.

Love the layering in the tag.

Bottle with green flower soft- what the heck do you use
Flower Soft for anyway?

Swing by Paper Issues and join the link party fun.  For the next 31 days we will be celebrating Halloween and we hope to see you there!

AWWW! The polka dot pants with the pink hightop skips- I MISS those!!!

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Halloween- OVER RATED!!!!!!

I really worked myself up about Halloween. It's Lola's first Halloween out of the hospital. Lola can walk so she looks great in costumes. Lola likes her pumpkin bucket. Lola Lola LOLA!

Well Lola decided she would rather sleep and did so ALL DAY. This is the girl who will NOT NAP 20 minutes to allow me to make diner on a normal day. Lola refused to stand up so I could dress her, she REFUSED to wear shoes. She refused to do ANYTHING till Daddy came home at 4PM- too late to go to the Museum party which ended at 4pm and too late to go to the baby parade in Manhattan- 40 minutes away by subway- 2 hours by car.

So we went to the park and took pictures. But that had to stop too because it was cold and I felt like a cruel evil bruja for making her pose when she would rather eat dead leaves with doggie poop seasoning. PLUS I sounded like a deranged stage Mom singing "You Are MY Sunshine" at the top of my lungs so she would LOOK UP and SMILE which she did exactly TWICE during the entire 15 minute shoot.

BUT I AM NOT BITTER! Oh no.

Plus no kids came to our door asking for treats so now I have 5 bags of candy SOMEONE will have to eat. 

I'm already thinking about what Lola's costume will be next year- it has to be something that involves a coat in the design (Polar Bear? Zombie Ski Baby? Marshmallow?). With my luck it will be 75 degrees just to show me who's BOSS.

So I am 0 for 2 with Monsoon season starting on Lola's birthday thus ruining my OUTDOOR party and Halloween going bust. Wonder if I should even bother waking up for Thanksgiving. Maybe I'll pull a Lola and stay home and force the hubby to hand over the occasional fruit shake while I read my book in bed all day. Hmmm that sounds like a PLAN.

Muchos SmOoChEs!!

m